FB: American Rivers Conference

[repete]

I got a chance to read the paper after SJU's win from the hometown Minneapolis paper.  Sounds like they were 1 play away from having a big L.  The phrase Jonnie Magic was used quite often in the article.

Excuse the intrusion from miac-land, but just wanted to say if you think SJU might be more vulnerable in the playoffs (if they make it), that might be premature. If you were calling Minneapolis SJU's "hometown paper." it is actually closer to Northfield (home of the Oles), but really it is a statewide paper. I think it took an Ole angle because a columnist had tabbed the Oles as league favorites.

While it is true that this -- or any tight game -- could go towards a "big L" (or big w) by any single play, it's not true that this was a fluky win for SJU. They actually held STO far, far below the 574 yds and 51.2 scoring averages that they brought to Collegeville. They outgained them as well. From an SJU angle, one could say that two special teams play kept STO close.

That's not to denigrate the STO effort, which was superb. The closest one can get to consensus is that losing a great cornerback was a huge factor in SJU's rally. Still, SJU closed the game (with a bit of help) on a 5 1/2 minute possession from its own 20. Pretty good statement there.

But both teams had woulda-couldas. I think the lesson here is not that SJU has slipped but a senior-laden Ole team has finally closed the gap. (BTW, they did hang more yards on Luther than either Central or Wartburg.)

Just my reaction to the post mentioning SJU. Unlike other northern posters, I'll save the IIAC-MIAC trash talk for later -- although I'm hoping both leagues will be well represented so we can crank it up.

Now back to IIAC and I think Wartburg will be fine, although the amount of yardage it allowed Saturday was almost more stunning than the score. But if it's meant to be for Wart, then that is the ultimate wakeup call.

... and I'm not just saying that because my boss is a grad ...

[dbljay21]

There are three possibilities here:
#1 Wartburg isn't as good as some of us thought or hoped.
#2 Augsburg isn't as bad as some of us thought or hoped.
#3 The Wartburg team is made up of some slow learners.

Or, perhaps, a combination of all three (although #2 seems least likely). 

#4 Augsburg was really pumped and prepared for Wartburg and played it like a Rivalry game.

Anybody who has played before knows that there are some teams you play that are just ready to play, even if they are over-matched.  And no matter what you do, your opponent just keeps the game close.  

[dbljay21]

I hit the magical 200 and can +k now as well! So exciting!

And some K for breakfast for Dutchhawk as well...

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I got a chance to read the paper after SJU's win from the hometown Minneapolis paper.  Sounds like they were 1 play away from having a big L.  The phrase Jonnie Magic was used quite often in the article.

Excuse the intrusion from miac-land, but just wanted to say if you think SJU might be more vulnerable in the playoffs (if they make it), that might be premature. If you were calling Minneapolis SJU's "hometown paper." it is actually closer to Northfield (home of the Oles), but really it is a statewide paper. I think it took an Ole angle because a columnist had tabbed the Oles as league favorites.

While it is true that this -- or any tight game -- could go towards a "big L" (or big w) by any single play, it's not true that this was a fluky win for SJU. They actually held STO far, far below the 574 yds and 51.2 scoring averages that they brought to Collegeville. They outgained them as well. From an SJU angle, one could say that two special teams play kept STO close.

That's not to denigrate the STO effort, which was superb. The closest one can get to consensus is that losing a great cornerback was a huge factor in SJU's rally. Still, SJU closed the game (with a bit of help) on a 5 1/2 minute possession from its own 20. Pretty good statement there.

But both teams had woulda-couldas. I think the lesson here is not that SJU has slipped but a senior-laden Ole team has finally closed the gap. (BTW, they did hang more yards on Luther than either Central or Wartburg.)

From a distance it would seem as if beating an Ole team that has gone 7-3, 8-2, 8-2 and currently 5-1 over the past four years would be a good win regardless of the score.  If I were a Johnny fan I would not be too concerned about what it took to win, as the Oles were IMO the most dangerous challenger to St. John's.  Bethel beat St. John's last year, but I think the Oles will be better than the Royals this year.  That is not to say that the Bethel game won't be tough though.

If there is a game that the score should concern Collegeville fans it is the 10-7 win over Carleton two weeks ago.  Beating the Knights from Northfield with 10 points in the 4th quarter appears to be about the same kind of performance that Wartburg put out against Augsburg on Saturday.  Carleton looks more competitive than Augsburg so far this year, but both teams from a distance appear to be clearly 2nd division MIAC squads.

I think there is more coverage this season so far for the Oles and Johnnies in the Strib than about all of the other programs (besides the Gophers) in the state combined.  The MIAC gets more attention in football than the NCC or the Northern Sun, IMO.  The Oles and Johnnies are also getting more positive press than the Gophers currently are as well.

[Ash Park]

I just heard today that Cornell and Coe are going to try to get a traveling trophy started either this year or next. Can anyone at Coe clarify this ? I definitely think that this being one of the oldest rivalries on this side of the Mississippi it would only fit to have some kind of traveling trophy. Of course this hasn't been much of a rivalry the past 6-7 years. Hopefully that is going to change soon. 

Coe has been proposing a traveling trophy for about five years. Cornell has shown no interest.

Well I heard this from a Cornell source so maybe they are all for it now?? It wouldn't suprise me with Coach Dillon and having a different AD now that will happen soon. Here is a question for some Coe and other Cornell people, what should it be called??  Ramhawk trophy?? Lincoln highway trophy?

[repete]

I'm certainly not discounting Bethel at all especially the way they pounded SJU in the 2nd half last year.

Not to discount BVU's effort but the Royals found a replacement for Phil Porta by week 2 vs. Simpson (35-0 by far their worst loss). Flannery, who carried just 6 times vs. BVU, has gone 113 carries for 530 since. Plus it's a huge rivalry game.

[dbljay21]

I just heard today that Cornell and Coe are going to try to get a traveling trophy started either this year or next. Can anyone at Coe clarify this ? I definitely think that this being one of the oldest rivalries on this side of the Mississippi it would only fit to have some kind of traveling trophy. Of course this hasn't been much of a rivalry the past 6-7 years. Hopefully that is going to change soon. 

Coe has been proposing a traveling trophy for about five years. Cornell has shown no interest.

Well I heard this from a Cornell source so maybe they are all for it now?? It wouldn't suprise me with Coach Dillon and having a different AD now that will happen soon. Here is a question for some Coe and other Cornell people, what should it be called??  Ramhawk trophy?? Lincoln highway trophy?

Are there any other rival schools in the IIAC looking to create a traveling trophy?  I think that would be great to see all of the IIAC rivals have a traveling trophy.  Luther/Wartburg, Central/Simpson, Cornell/Coe and UD/Loras are the obvious rivalries that come to mind...Does BV have a "rival"?  They are out there in western Iowa with no IIAC school geographically close enough to call a "rival" but I would I like to see the other 4 rivalries create a traveling trophy.

Question for the board: What would you call the traveling trophies for the rivalry games?

[DutchFan2004]

I would vote for Dutch Storm trophy,  Not to put the Dutch first other than it sounds logical.  There could be a Dutch storm brewing in the clouds.  I don't think I have ever heard of a Storm Dutch 

[Walston Hoover]

For Wartburg/Luther
Luther's pen
a printing press
a bible
95 theses
A statue of Luther
Call it the "Protestant Trophy"

[doolittledog]

Let's make something better than the Cy-Hawk trophy.  My cub scout pinewood derby trophy from second grade looks better than that.  Also, make it big.  The high school my sisters went to in St. Louis before my family moved up here played for the Frisco Bell against their rival school.  That thing was so big it took 4 linemen to get the thing picked up and carried back over to their sideline.  

I also think it would be fun to have a rivalry week where every school in the conference was playing their rival.  I guess that could be the week BV has their bye week or plays Waldorf.  

[dbljay21]

For Wartburg/Luther
Luther's pen
a printing press
a bible
95 theses
A statue of Luther
Call it the "Protestant Trophy"

I like it...

[Walston Hoover]

Wartburg and Upper Iowa used to have a victory bell that went back and forth. I believe it now has a permanent home in the new "W"

[DutchHawk]

I think its a toss up as to who would be the best representative for the IIAC at the moment. I would probably say Central then Wartburg then Dubuque/Coe. There are a lot of games left for us to be discussing this and it will all pan out in the end. I just dont see any excuse to losing to a far inferior team at home. The truly great teams put that game away at half time, rest their starters and play the youngsters. Centrals "struggles" with winning in the IIAC arent the biggest confidence builder for me but I would rather see that then one of our other conference powers get emberassed at home by a weaker team. I just worry about the conference as a whole at this point in the season. Im hoping Central plays a wake up game this week and disposes of Coe. That would send a good message. We need to make some noise in the playoffs.

[Walston Hoover]

Upset of the week-
Coe over Central.
The end of the year shakes out like this
UD beats Central as well
Wartburg beats Coe and Central
along with, of course, Loras this week.
Wartburg goes to the playoffs as the conf champ and UD makes it as an at-large.
For some reason I really like that UD squad right now.
Wouldn't be surprised to see them seeded higher in the playoffs.

[doolittledog]

Upset of the week-
Coe over Central.
The end of the year shakes out like this
UD beats Central as well
Wartburg beats Coe and Central
along with, of course, Loras this week.
Wartburg goes to the playoffs as the conf champ and UD makes it as an at-large.
For some reason I really like that UD squad right now.
Wouldn't be surprised to see them seeded higher in the playoffs.

I would be ok with that scenario